The Hidden Dangers of Outdoor Lighting

Follow these rules for a safe (and pretty) season of entertaining on your patio.

Outdoor sconces, lamps, and string lights are great for adding ambiance (and extra visibility) to your yard. But if you don't install and maintain them correctly, they can quickly turn into safety hazards. Here's how to keep your well-lit yard danger-free.

1. Clean with caution.Chemical-laden cleaners can ruin special finishes on metal lamps, so stick to regular dish detergent, water, and a wascloth to get rid of grime (and just to be safe, turn off the power before you wipe lights down).

2. Maintain finishes. Outdoor lighting fixtures are designed to be weatherproof, but theyre not infallible. Moisture in the air encourages rust (beach towns have it the worst). Try using a simple solution of water and vinegar to remove it.

3. Pick the right bulbs. LEDs won't attract insects like incandescent bulbs can because they dont emit infrared light (plus, they last much longer  upwards of 18 years per bulb). But remember that LED bulbs wont always fit older lights. Visit your hardware store with a photo of the fixture in hand to get help picking out the correct bulb. Its also helpful to know if your light runs on line voltage or low voltage. Typically, surface-mounted fixtures, like your porch light, run on line voltage while landscape lighting typically runs on low-voltage.

4. Change all the bulbs at once. If you use halogen or traditional incandescent bulbs for your landscape or porch, swap them out annually to fully brighten your yard, especially if your fixtures are on for over six hours per night.

5. Check labels on string lights. Not all string lights are suited for your patio. Most (like holiday lights) are UL-approved for wet environments, but it's essential to check the package to ensure that they are approved for extended outdoor use. Look for the UL/ETL/CSA safety labels.

6. Keep off the grass. Dont place fixtures directly on your lawn, since mowing around them will be difficult. Instead, place them in flower beds. If low-voltage wiring is buried, dont cover the dirt with wood chips. The wire can resurface over time, and if it makes contact with mulch, it can cause a fire.

7. Place lights with safety and security in mind. Ideally, there should be at least four points of light in your yard: Mounted fixtures on your porch and garage doors, and landscape lighting along paths and steps. For lighting a path, expert Adam Zambanini, Vice President of Marketing at Trex, an outdoor living company, recommends staggering posts in a zig-zag pattern. The pools of light should overlap (think Olympic rings). And consider where you put tall fixtures. Placing them at the end of the driveway, or other places children play, can create an accident-prone environment.

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